Warp knitting



H. C. NOE

WARP KNITTING March 2, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 22. 1961 INVENTOR HAROLD C- "DE 2X...

ATT NEY H. C. NOE

WARP KNITTING March 2, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 22. 1961 o own INVENTOR H A R 0 LD C. N OE ATT RNEY March 2, 1965 H. c. NOE 3,171,271

WARP KNITTING Filed Dec. 22. 1961 s Sheets-Sheet s L H 14; IA,

Fi 9J5 INVENTOR HAROLD C. OE

ATT NEY March 2, 1965 H. c. NOE 3,171, 71

WARP KNITTING 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed D80. 22. 1961 LY- l March 2, 1965 H. c. NOE 3,171,271

WARP KNITTING Filed Dec. 22. 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig3l Fig.30

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Fig32 INVENTOR HAROLD C.NOE

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WARP KNITTING Filed Dec. 22. 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR H AROLD C- NOE United States Patent "ice 3,171,271 WARP KNITTING Harold C. Noe, Upper Montclair, Ni, assignor to Haggar Mills Division of I. Zendrnan Inc, Paterson, N .1, a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 161,548 9 Claims. (Cl. 56-85) The present invention relates to warp knitting machines such as Raschel knitting machines and the like, and, more particularly to the construction and operation of such machines to produce decorative effects and other esirable effects on the fabric being knit by such machines.

It is desirable that warp knitted fabrics for certain uses have surface ornamentation other than a design which is knit into or bound onto the fabric at every stitch. One way of accomplishing this is to first knit the fabric and then run the fabric through an embroidery machine having multipliciity of sewing needles for producing designs on the knit fabric. This requires an extra machine and an additional operation which increases the knitters investment in machinery and the cost of producing such fabric.

Heretofore, yarn has been fastened loosely on the surface of the fabric while the fabric was produced on Warp knitting machines having two or more rows of yarn guides by utilizing a fall plate or chopper bar to prevent the knitting of the yarn supplied by :at least one row of yarn guides in front of the knitting yarn. The arrangement and operation of such a fall plate or chopper bar is described on pages 156 to 163 in Warp Knitting Technology, D. F. Paling, Harlequin Press 1952, London, England. However, fall plates have the disadvantage that they slow down the operation of the knitting machine and have a tendency to fray the yard by their chopping action and therefore are not suitable for use-with high speed warp knitting machines which are in demand today.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide improvements in a warp knitting machine for producing similar effects and a wider variety of such effects than heretofore produced by fall plates without utilizing a fall plate or a similar element.

Another object is to provide an improved knitting cycle for producing embroidery effects or pile loops and the like on the knit fabric.

Another object is to provide such a knitting cycle for producing double faced terry fabric and the like.

Another object is to provide such a knitting cycle which is simple and reliable and produces the fabric at a high rate in an economical manner.

A further object is to provide such a knitting cycle which can be performed on newly constructed machines or the machines already in the field by the replacement or rearrangement of a minimum number of elements of the machines.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

.In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objects are generally accomplished by a method of knitting with latch needles having a previously knit loop thereon which method includes the steps of dwelling the needles at a'lower position and lapping yarn about the needles by one row of yarn guides, dwelling the needles at an upper position and lapping yarn about the needles by another row of yarn guides, and knitting at least the yarn lapped about the needles while in the upper position to the previously knit loop. By utilizing these steps,

Patented Mar. 2, 1965 the needles can be manipulated so that the yarn lapped about the needles while the needles are in a lower position either is cast off unknit out is fastened to the fabric by passing therethrough to produce the embroidery effects and ile loops as desired or such lapped yarn is knit into the fabric in the form of pile loops together with the yarn lapped about the needles while the needles are in their upper position.

This method of knitting can be accomplished in a convenient manner on Raschel knitting machines having two or more guide bars and either one or two needle bars.

Embroidery or ornamental effects can be produced by a machine equipped with a single needle bar having latch needles thereon and adapted to be reciprocated by a cam or the like which is contoured to dwell the needles at a lower position with the needles hooks just above the trick plate and for dwelling the needles in a normal upper position, and equipped with one or more rows of lower guides for lapping yarn about the needles and at least one row of upper guides for lapping yarn about the needles. The needles upon upward movement pass through the yarn supplied by the lower guides so that this yarn is below the latches and is cast off as the needles descend to a lowermost position with the latches closed. Such casting off is possible because the hooks of the needle never have an opportunity to engage this yarn and loop it through a previously knit loop.

Pile loops for carpet fabric and the like can be produced by a machine equipped with a double needle bar one of which reciprocates in the manner mentioned above and has latch needles thereon and the other of which moves between a lower position and the lowermost or casting off position and has .plush point needles thereon, and equipped with lower guides for lapping pile yarn about both rows of needles While in a lower positionland upper guides for lapping the knitting yarn about the latch needles and for placing the backing yarn in front of the needles while the needles are in their upper position as will be described in detail hereinafter.

Double faced pile loop fabric such as terry cloth can be produced by a machine equipped with reciprocating front and back needle bars each having latch needles thereon and being moved by cam means for moving each row of needles to upper and lower lapping positions, and equipped with lower and upper guides for lapping yarn about the needles in a manner to form loops or to be knit as will be described in detail hereinafter.

In each instance, these fabrics can be produced by reason of the fact that the needles are dwelled in a lower position and an upper position and that low and high yarn guides lap yarn about the needles while in these positions.

The terms low, lower, lowermost, upper, high, up and down are used herein and in the claims in a relative sense with respect to upright needles.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification:

FIGS. 1 to 8 are schematic views of cooperating knitting elements including a latch needle of a single needle bar machine, a trick plate for the needle and yarn guides, illustrating sequential positions of the needle and the yarn guides and the yarn during a knitting cycle in accordance with the present invention for producing embroidery effects or the like on knitted fabric.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammaticview illustrating a plurality of upper and lower yarn guides and a needle.

FIG. 10 is a timing diagram of a cam having a contour for effecting the movement of the needles to the positions shown in FIGS. 1 to 8.

FIGS. 11 to 18 are schematic views of cooperating knitting elements for producing loop pile carpet fabric including a latch needle, a trick plate for the latch needle,

a a plush point needle and yarn guides, illustrating sequential positions of the elements.

FIG. 19 is a timing diagram of cams having a contour for effecting the movements of the needles to the positions shown in FIGS. 11 to 18.

FIGS. 20 to are schematic views of cooperating knitting elements including a latch needle of a front row, a latch needle of a back row, trick plates for the needles and yarn guides illustrating the sequential positions of the knitting elements and the yarn during a knitting cycle for producing double faced terry cloth.

FIG. 36 is a timing diagram of cams having a contour for effecting movement of the needles to the positions shown in FIGS. 20 to 35. 5

FIG. 37 is a schematic side vie'wjof mechanism for raising and lowering the needles.

FIG. 38 is a diagrammatic view of a stitch pattern produced by the needle movements shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 illustrating one embroidery effect.

FIG. 39 is a diagrammatic view of a pile carpet stitch pattern produced by the needle movements shown in FIGS. 11 to 18.

The Raschel machine Since Raschel knitting machines are well known and are described in the literature, for example, in the text by D. F. Paling (supra), particularly in chapters 11 and 12, there is no need for illustrating or describing a complete Raschel knitting machine and its mechanisms herein. However, the improvements in accordance with the present invention are particularly applicable to the type of Raschel knitting machine disclosed in my prior patent, No. 2,5l5,253, dated July 18, 1950.

Such a machine comprises one or two needle bars arranged for upward and downward movement by suitable cams and linkage, and a plurality of guide bars arranged for forward and backward rocking motion whereby all the guides can be moved to and fro between the needles by a suitable mechanism such as a cam and linkage. The guide bars are also arranged for shogging or endwise patterning motion in front of the needles, and at least the front guide bar is arranged for lapping motion in back of the needles which causes yarn to be knit on the needles. The to and fro and shogging motions cause the guides to pattern or lap yarn on the needles.

In FIG. 37, conventional mechanism is shown for raising and lowering the needles which are mounted on a bar 100. Such mechanism includes a cam which is contoured to provide the needles with the movements described hereinafter (FIGS. 10, 19 and 36), a shaft for rotating the cam 110, a cam follower on a lever 140, and linkage for connecting the needle bar 100 to the lever 140.

Embroidery effects Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 8 of the drawings in detaiLknitting elements and their motions are illustrated in simplest form for producing embroidery effects and the like on fabric while being knit.

These elements comprise a fixed trick plate or needle bed 40 having a knockover or casting off edge 41, a reciprocating needle 42 on a needle bar (not shown) and adjacent the trick plate, the needle having a hook 43 and a pivoted latch 44 on its shank 45, and lower and upper yarn guides 46 and 47 for respectively lapping yarn LY and yarn UY on the needle. The shape of the needles which have been used on the machine for carrying out the present invention conforms substantially to the shape of the needles illustrated schematically herein. Such needles can be purchased from The Torrington Co., Torrington, Connecticut, and are available in a wide range of gauges. In order to distinguish the path of their yarns in the knitting cycle the lower yarn LY is shown as being thicker than the upper yarn UY.

The sequence of the movements and positions of the knitting elements during one complete knitting cycle is illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 8 and back to FIG. 1. Thus, for illustrative purposes, the position of the elements in FIG. 1 can be considered to be the starting point of the cycle.

In FIG. 1, the needle 42 is shown with a previously knit loop L-l under its hook and in a lower position with its hook just above the trick plate and its latch open, and the lower and upper yarn guides are shown to the right of the needle. The needle dwells in this lower position (FIGS. 1 to 3), and the lower yarn guide is shogged, rocked and moved to lap yarn LY about the hook of the needle (FIG. 3). While the lower yarn guide goes through these motions, the upper yarn guide may go through the same motions but such motions of the upper yarn guides are ineffective to lap the yarn UY about the needle, because the upper end of the needle is well below the horizontal plane where the yarn UY is moved around the longitudinal axis of the needle (compare FIGS. 1 to 3 with FIGS. 5 and 6).

The needle is then moved from its lower position (FIG. 3) to its upper position (FIG. 4) and during its upward movement the needle passes through the lapped yarn LY and the loop L-l, whereby the needle latch is moved down and the lapped yarn LY and the loop L-l are positioned on the shank of the needle below the latch. The needle dwells in this upper position (FIGS. 4 to 6), and the upper yarn guide is shogged, rocked and moved to lap yarn UY about the shank of the needle between the hook and the latch pivot (FIG. 6). While the upper yarn guide goes through these motions, the lower yarn guide may dwell in front of the needle.

The needle is then moved downwardly through a position (FIG. 7) where the loop L-l closes the needle latch,- and the needle is moved further downwardly to a lowermost position (FIG. 8) with the needle hook below the knockover edge, whereby the lapped yarn LY and the loop L-1 are cast off and the hook draws the lapped yarn UY through the loop L-1 to form a loop L-2 connected to the loop L1.

The needle is then moved upwardly to its lower position (FIG. 1) for the start of the next cycle.

It will be observed that the lapped yarn LY is cast off unknit but is tied in the fabric around a knit loop. Thus, by shogging the yarn LY in front of more than one needle, desired patterns can be created on the front of the fabric which simulate weftwise extending embroidery stitches in each course. Also, by lapping the yarn LY around more than one needle a lace effect is created.

In FIG. 9 a needle 42 of a single needle bar machine, and a plurality of lower and upper yarn guides 46 and 47 are shown. The needle movement is the same as in FIGS. 1 to 8. The three lower yarn guides shown by way of example and marked L are moved as a unit to lap the yarns LY on the needle as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Of the six upper yarn guides shown by way of example, the front guide marked K laps the yarn UY on the needle as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 to be knit, and the remaining guides marked P are shogged to produce the desired pattern.

In FIG. 10, a timing diagram of a cam for reciprocating and dwelling the needles is shown which illustrates the positions of a needle when the cam has been turned through various angles during one complete rotation thereof. The needle positions 1 to 8 in this diagram correspond to the positions of the needle in FIGS. 1 to 8, respectively.

In knitting certain fabric, it is desirable to employ sinkers to hold down loops on the shank of the needle while the needle moves upwardly. This can be accomplished without interfering with the yarn guide motions.

The foregoing effects are particularly applicable to so called close knit fabrics, for example fabric used for making girdle cloth although these effects are equally applicable to more loosely knit fabrics including lace and netting.

In FIG. 38, a diagram of fabric is shown wherein an embroidery eifect is created by weftwise extending stretches of yarn on the face of the fabric which are tied at their ends to the fabric. The chains while shown separately actually are knit together in any customary man ner.

Pile loops In FIGS. 11 to 18, knitting elements and their motions are illustrated for producing pile loops on one face of fabric while being knit on a double needle bar machine.

These elements include all the elements shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 and, in addition, a plush point needle 50 on a needle bar (not shown) and in front of t e latch needle 42. The needle 42 is moved through the same cycle shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, but needle 5% dwells in a lower position (FIGS. 11 to 17) and is moved only to a lowermost position (FIG. 18) as a stitch loop and a pile loop are cast off.

In FIG. 11, the needle 42 is shown with a previously knit loop L-i under its hook and in a lower position with its hook just above the trick plate and its latch open, and the needle Etl is shown in its lower position in the sense that its point is at the same level as the upper end of the needle 42 when in its lower position. The lower and upper yarn guides are to the right of the needles 42 and 5t? in this view.

The needles 42 and 5t dwell in this lower position (FIGS. 11 to 13), and the lower yarn guide is rocked, shogged and moved to lap yarn LY about the needle 42 and the upper end of the needle Ell (FIG. 13).

The needle 4-2 is then moved from its lower position (FIG. 13) to its upper position (FIG. 14) and during its upward movement passes through the lapped ymn LY, whereby the needle latch is moved down and the lapped yarn LY and the loop L1 are positioned on the shank of theneedle 4-2 below its latch. The needle 42 dwells in this upper position (FIGS. 14 to 16), and the upper yarn guide is rocked, shogged and moved to lap yarn UY about the needle 42 between its hook and its latch pivot (FIG. 16).

The needle 42 is then moved downwardly through a position (FIG. 17) where the loop L1 closes the needle latch, and is moved further downwardly to a lowermost position (FIG. 18) with the needle hook below the knockover edge. As the needle hook descends from a point just above the knockover edge, the needle 5% descends with the hook, whereby the lapped pile yarn LY and the loop LI are cast off and the hook draws the lapped yarn UY through the loop L-l to form a loop L2 connected to the loop L-l. Here again the lapped yarn LY is cast oil unknit, and pile loops are positioned to be tied in the fabric in a knit loop. The knit fabric moves downwardly between the rows of needles 42 and 50.

If desired, the row of points 59 may remain stationary and the pile loops may be cut in the customary manner to produce a cut pile effect.

The needles 42 and 50 are then moved upwardly to their lower position (FIG. 11) for the start of the next cycle.

Any desired pile loop patterns or effects can be produced in the customary manner heretofore known in the knitting art. Likewise, where the pile loops are produced in the formation or carpet fabric and the like, weftwise extending hacking yarn may be incorporated in the fabric while the latch needles 42 are in their upper position.

In FIG. 19, there is shown a timing diagram of a cam for reciprocating and dwelling the knitting needles 42 and a cam for moving the plush point needles St to cast off the pile loops at the same time the knit loops or stitches are cast off. The needle positions 11 to 18 in this dia- 5 gram correspond to the positions of the needles 42 and 59 in FIGS. 11 to 18, respectively.

In FIG. 39, a stitch diagram is shown which illustrates a simple pattern of pile loops for carpet fabric.

Double face terry cloth In FIGS. 20 to 35, knitting elements of a double needle bar warp knitting machine and their motions are illustrated for producing pile loops on both sides of knit fabric generally known as double face terry cloth.

These elements include front and back trick plates or needle beds 49F and 44B spaced apart lengthwise to enable knit fabric to pass downwardly therebetween and each having a knockover edge 41F and 41B facing the other, reciprocating front and back needles 42F and 42B on front and back needle bars (not shown) each posi tioned for cooperation with their respective trick plates and each having a hook 4-3 and a pivoted latch 44F and 443 on its shank 45F and 45B, and two lower and one upper yarn guides 46 and 47 for respectively lapping yarn LYI. and LYZ and yarn UY on the needles 42F and 428. The yarn LYT and LY2 is used for producing the pile loops and the yarn UY is used for knitting chains which tie in the loops.

The sequence of the movements and positions of the knitting elements during one complete knitting cycle is illustrated in FIG. 20 to FIG. 35 and back to FIG. 20.

In FIG. 20, the needles 42F and 42B are shown with a previously knit loop L-l under their hooks and in a lower position with the hooks just above the trick plates and the latches open. The lower yarn guides 46 are shown to the left of the needles 42F and 423, and the upper yarn guide 47 is shown above the needle 42F and to the left of the needle 42B. The needles 42F and 42B dwell in this lower position (FIGS. 20 to 22), and the 7 lower yarn guides are shogged, rocked and moved to lap yarn LYl and LY2 about the hooks of the needles. While the lower yarn guides 46 go through these motions, the upper yarn guide 47 may go through the same motions but such motions of the upper yarn guide are ineffective to lap the yarn UY about the needles, because the upper end of the needles is well below the horizontal plane where the yarn UY is moved around the longitudinal axis of the needles.

The needle 42B is then moved from its lower position (FIG. 22) to its upper position (FIG. 23) and during its upward movement the needle 42B passes through the lapped yarn and the loop L-l thereon, whereby the latch of this needle is moved down and the lapped yarn and the loop L-l of needle 42B are positioned on the shank of this needle below its latch.

The needle 42B dwells in this upper position (FIGS. 23 to 25), and the upper yarn guide 47 is shogged, rocked and moved to lap yarn UY about the shank of this needle between its hook and latch pivot (FIG. 25). While the upper yarn guide goes through these motions, the lower yarn guides dwell to the left of the needles (FIGS. 23 to 25).

The needle 42B is then moved downwardly through a position (FIG. 26) where the loop L-l thereon closes the needle latch, and this needle and the needle 42F are moved further downwardly to a lowermost position (FIG. 27) with the hook of the needles below the knockover edge, whereby the lapped yarn LYI and LYZ and the loop L4 on needle 42B are cast off and the hook of the needle 42B draws the lapped yarn UY through its loop Lll to form a loop L-2 connected to this loop L1.

While the needles are at their lowermost position (FIG. 27), the lower yarn guides are moved towards the right and across the needles and the upper yarn guide is moved slightly to the right of the needle 423.

The needles 42F and 42B are then moved to their lower position (FIG. 28), but with the lower and upper yarn guides now to the right of the needles.

The needles 42F and 42B again dwell in this lower position (FIGS. 28 to 30), and the lower yarn guides are again shogged, rocked and moved to lap yarn LYI and LYZ about the hooks of the needles.

The needle 42F is then moved from its lower position (FIG. 30) to its upper position (FIG. 31) and during it upward movement the needle 42F passes through the lapped yarn and the loop L1 thereon, whereby the latch of this needle is moved down and the lapped yarn and the loop L-l of needle 42F are positioned on the shank of this needle below its latch.

The needle 42F dwells in this upper position (FIGS. 31 to 33), and the upper yarn guide 47 again is shogged, rocked and moved to lap yarn UY about the shank of the needle between its hook and latch pivot (FIG. 32). While the upper yarn guide goes through these motions, the lower yarn guides dwell to the right of the needles (FIGS. 31 to 33).

The needle 42F is then moved downwardly through a position (FIG. 34) where the loop L-l thereon closes the needle latch, and this needle and the needle 42B are moved further downwiardly to a lowermost position (FIG. 35) with the hook of the needles below the knockover edge, whereby the lapped yarn and the loop L-l on needle 42F are cast off and the hook of the needle 42F draws the lapped yarn UY through its loop L-l to form a loop L2 connected to this loop L-l.

While the needles are at their lowermost position (FIG. 35), the lower yarn guides are moved towards the left and across the needles and the upper yarn guide is moved slightly to the left of the needle 42F.

The needles 42F and 42B are then moved to their lower or starting position (FIG. 20) with the lower and upper yarn guides again to the left of the nedles.

It will be noted that during the knitting cycle the lower yarn guides each instance are positioned to lap yarn around the needles from the front of the needle which knits and that the upper yarn guide is positioned to lap yarn around the front of the needle which knits, whereby loops on opposite faces of the fabric are alternately produced and tied into the fabric. 7 In FIG. 36, there is shown a timing diagram of the cams for reciprocating and dwelling the knitting needles 42F and 423. The needle positions 26 to 35 in this diagram correspond to the positions of the needles shown in FIGS. 20 to 35 respectively.

The term latch needle is used herein and in the claims in a broad sense and is intended to include needles which could be used in the production of certain fabrics while utilizing the concept of dwelling a row of needles in a lower and an upper position and lapping lower and upper yarn on the needles when so dwelled.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a knitting cycle which can be utilized to produce a wide variety of fabrics and effects.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

I claim:

1. The method of warp knitting with reciprocating latch needles having a previously knit loop thereon including the steps of dwelling the needles at a lower position and lapping yarn about the needles, dwelling the needles at an upper position and lapping yarn about the needles, and knitting at least the yarn lapped about the needles while in the upper position to the previously knit loop.

2. The method of warp knitting which comprises the cycle of lapping yarn about latch needles having a previously knit loop thereon while the needles are in a lower position, moving the needles upwardly through the yarn lapped about the needles to an upper position, lapping yarn about the needles while the needles are in the upper position, moving the needles downwardly through the previously knit loop to knit a loop onto the previously knit loop and to a lowermost position to cast ofi the previously knit loop and the yarn lapped about the needles while in the lower position, and returning the needles to the lower position. 7 I

3. The method of warp knitting which comprises the cycle of lapping yarn about latch needles having a previously knit loop thereon while dwelling the needles in a lower position, moving the needles upwardly through the yarn lapped about the needles and dwelling the needles in an upper position, lapping yarn about the needles while the needles are in the upper position, moving the needles downwardly through the previously knit loop to knit a loop onto the previously knit loop and to a lowermost position to cast off the previously knit loop and the unknit yarn lapped about the needles while in the lower position, and return the needles to the lower dwelling position.

4. The method of warp knitting which comprises the cycle of lapping yarn about needles in a first row and a second row of needles while all the needles are in a lower position, at least the needles of the first row of needles being latch needles and having a previously knit loop thereon, moving the needles of the first row of needles upwardly through the yarn lapped about the needles and to an upper position, lapping yarn about the needles of the first row of needles while in the upper position, moving the needles of the first row of needles downwardly through the previously knit loop to knit a loop onto the previously knit loop, moving the needles of both rows of needles to a lowermost position to cast off the previously knit loop and the yarn which was lapped about the needles while in the lower position, and returning the needles of both rows of needles to the lower position.

5. The method of warp knitting which comprises the cycle of lapping yarn about latch needles having a previously knit loop thereon in a first row and plush point needles in a second row while all the needles are in a lower position, moving the latch needles upwardly through the yarn lapped about the needles and to an upper position, lapping yarn about the latch needles while in the upper position, moving the latch needles downwardly through the previously knit loops to knit a loop onto the previously knit loop, moving the needles of both rows of needles to a lowermost position to cast oif the previously knit loop and the unknit yarn which was lapped about the needles while in the lower position, and returning the needles of both rows of needles to the lower position.

6. The method of warp knitting which comprises lapping yarn about latch needles in a front row and a back row of needles while all the needles are in a lower position, all of the needles having a previously knit loop thereon, moving the needles of the back row of needles upwardly through the yarn lapped about the needles and to an upper position, lapping yarn about the needles of the back row of needles while in the upper position, moving the needles of the back row of needles downwardly through the previously knit loops to knit a loop onto the previously knit loop, the needles of the front row of needles dwelling during upward and downward movement of the needles of the back row of needles, moving the needles of both rows of needles to a lowermost position to cast off the previously knit loop and the yarn which was lapped about the needles of both rows of needles while in the lower position, returning the needles of both rows of needles to the lower position, again lapping yarn about latch needles in a front row and a back row of needles while all the needles are in a lower position, moving the needles of the front row of needles upwardly through. the yarn lapped about the needles and to an upper position, lapping yarn about the needles of the front row of needles while in the upper position, moving the needles of the front row of needles downwardly through the previously knit loops to knit a loop onto the previously knit loop, the needles of the back row of needles dwelling during upward and downward movement of the needles of the front row of needles, moving the needles of both rows of needles to a lowermost position to cast 03 the previously knit loop and the yarn which was lapped about the needles of both rows of needles while in the lower position, returning the needles of both rows of needles to the lower position, and repeating the foregoing cycle.

7. The method of warp knitting according to claim 1, wherein the yarn to be lapped about the needles while in their upper position moves through a rocking cycle while yarn is being lapped about the needles in their lower position.

8. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of a row of reciprocating latch needles, mechanism for reciprocating said needles and dwelling said needles in a lower position and in an upper position, a lower row of yarn guides positioned for lapping yarn on said needles while dwelled in their lower position, and an upper row of yarn guides positioned for lapping yarn on said needles while dwelled in their upper position.

9. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of a needle bed having a knockover edge, a row of reciprocating latch needles constructed and arranged for cooperation With said needle bed, mechanism for reciprocating said needles and dwelling said needles in a lower position and in an upper position with the book of said needles above said knockover edge in both positions, a lower row of yarn guides positioned for lapping yarn on said needles while dwelled in their lower position, and an upper row of yarn guides positioned for lapping yarn on said needles while dwelled in their upper position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,475,325 Springthorpe Nov. 27, 1923 2,892,331 Kelly June 30, 1959 2,944,413 Rice July 12, 1960 2,949,754 MacCaffray Aug. 23, 1960 

1. THE METHOD OF WARP KNITTING WITH RECIPROCATING LATCH NEEDLES HAVING A PREVIOUSLY KNIT LOOP THEREON INCLUING THE STEPS OF DWELLING THE NEEDLES AT A LOWER POSITION AND LAPPING YARN ABOUT THE NEEDLES, DWELLING THE NEEDLES AT AN UPPER POSITION AND LAPPING YARN ABOUT THE NEEDLES, AND KNITTING AT LEAST THE YARN LAPPED ABOUT THE NEEDLES WHILE IN THE UPPER POSITION OF THE PREVIOUSLY KNIT LOOP. 